Media | Family Motor Coach Association

Very shortly, approximately 2,500 motorhome families will congregate in Gillette for Family Motor Coach Association's 88th Family Reunion & Motorhome Showcase. The gathering of this international motorhome owners' club will take place at CAM-PLEX Multi-Event Facilities. The group will be making a long-overdue return visit to Wyoming, having last met there for one of its international events in Laramie in 1992, and a first-time visit to Gillette for an international event. The group’s Rocky Mountain Area did host a smaller, regional rally at CAM-PLEX in September 2012. Other recent motorhome conventions were held in Indianapolis, Indiana; Madison, Wisconsin; Perry, Georgia; Redmond, Oregon; Bowling Green, Ohio; St. Paul, Minnesota; and Charlotte, North Carolina.

A Family Motor Coach Association convention includes a sizable motorhome exhibition. A number of the major North American manufacturers and dealers will bring new motorhomes for viewing. A variety of 2013-model and some 2014-model motorhomes will be on display. In addition, nearly every conceivable RV accessory and component, as well as items suitable for use in the home, will be on display in the Wyoming Center. Members of the public will be able to tour the motorhomes that will be on display and see for themselves the many amenities packed inside these modern RVs, which have all of the conveniences of home — and then some, in many cases.

Admission to the show is $5.00 per day. Children 12 and under are admitted free with an accompanying adult. Individuals with a military ID are admitted free as well. A Daily Passport also is available for $65.00 ($55.00 FMCA member price), providing access not only to the exhibits but also to all seminars and evening entertainment. Free public parking will be available at CAM-PLEX. Take Boxelder Road to the entrance at Broken Spur Road and follow the signs to public gate parking. Owners of motorhomes and other self-contained RVs are invited to take part in all of the activities and to bring their RV and stay with the rest of the group at the fairgrounds. The $245.00 gate registration fee automatically grants the RV owner a one-year Family Motor Coach Association membership or a subscription to Family Motor Coaching magazine.

On Wednesday, June 19, folks are invited to a special preview of the motorhome exhibits from 5:00 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. During this time, the latest motorhome models will be available for touring. Regular hours for the motorhome displays will be 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, June 20, 21, and 22. Hours for the displays of RV accessories, supplies, and components will be 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on June 20, 21, and 22. Wednesday’s admission pass is good on Thursday as well.Other makings of the motorhome convention include seminars regarding RV-related topics; professional entertainment; and various social events, among them morning coffee hour, an ice cream social, and other impromptu good times.

And since the motorhome owners group is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2013, the event in Gillette will serve as the organization’s official birthday bash. A number of special activities are planned to commemorate the event, including a display of vintage Flxible motorhomes — the classic coach that appears in the association’s logo — and a nostalgia room filled with memorabilia.

Traffic advisory information. Viewers/readers/listeners in Gillette and surrounding areas will be witnessing evidence of this event. Tourist attractions, shopping areas, and gasoline stations should experience an influx. And motorists in the area might also notice a prevalence of motorhomes.In fact, local residents are advised to avoid the area surrounding CAM-PLEX between the hours of 7:00 a.m. and 5:00 p.m. on Monday, June 17, and Tuesday, June 18. In particular, on Monday and Tuesday, caravans — groups of motorhome owners traveling together — will be arriving at CAM-PLEX via Garner Lake Road.

During the event, coaches that are being taken out for test drives will be exiting onto Garner Lake Road. Drivers should exercise caution when traveling around that area from Wednesday, June 19, through Saturday, June 22.

At the close of the event, motorhome traffic will be leaving the site on Sunday, June 23, starting somewhere around 6:00 a.m., and local residents may wish to avoid these areas again between 6:00 a.m. and noon that day.

Typically, FMCA conventions attract significant media attention. An infinite number of lifestyle stories and a great deal of material related to contemporary motorhomes will be available. Media representatives are, of course, welcome to pursue any angle that they find interesting. However, for an overall orientation to the convention activities, FMCA encourages newspeople to request to speak with Robbin Gould upon arriving at CAM-PLEX, or to call ahead to establish a meeting time.When arriving at CAM-PLEX, please enter via Wrangler Road. Signs will direct you to the office within the Wyoming Center that will house the Exhibitor/Commercial/Press registration office; press credentials will be available there.

One point of information: the official term for the type of vehicle in question is "motorhome" or "motor coach." These vehicles are not "mobile homes," nor are they campers, vans, or trailers. There is a definite distinction among these categories of vehicles.

You are welcome to stop by to witness the activities. Please call if any questions arise.

About Family Motor Coach Association: Enhancing The Motorhome Lifestyle

Now in its 50th year, Family Motor Coach Association (FMCA) is an international organization for families who own and enjoy the use of self-contained, motorized recreation vehicles known as motorhomes. The association maintains its national headquarters in Cincinnati, Ohio, and currently has more than 80,000 active member families. FMCA offers a number of benefits for motorhome owners, including a subscription to its monthly magazine, Family Motor Coaching; trip routing; mail forwarding; and group rates on motorhome insurance and an emergency medical evacuation plan. Perhaps the most important benefit of FMCA membership is the camaraderie and friendships that develop among people enjoying the common interest of motorhome travel and recreation.

Contact:

Pamela Kay, Director of Communications

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